The subject invention relates to a power striker mechanism for use with a closure panel of a motor vehicle.
A vehicle closure panel, such as a door, hood or deck, typically includes a seal to prevent exterior environmental elements from intruding into a passenger compartment. The seal also reduces the amount of exterior noise transmitted into the passenger compartment. Seals with higher stiffness coefficients and greater seal pressures are being used to accommodate consumer demand for a quieter passenger compartment. In other words, new seals are becoming much stiffer than those traditionally used. As appreciated, a stiffer seal translates into an increase in force required to completely close the closure panel.
One solution to this problem is the use of a power striker, including the power strikers disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,172,947; 4,739,585; 4,982,984; 5,716,085; 5,755,468; 4,842,313; 4,775,178; 4,707,007; 5,765,886; and 5,066,056. During operation of these typical devices, the closure panel is moved to an initial closed position such that the latch engages the striker. The striker is then moved inboard by a power actuator to cinch the closure panel to a final closed position compressing the seals.
One shortcoming of such a mechanism is the vulnerability to damage of the power striker by excessive slamming of the closure panel, typically a door. A slammed door causes damage because the striker is driven inboard of the vehicle and inertial forces of the door are subsequently transmitted through the striker to the power actuator. Repair and replacement of power actuator is complicated by the confined mounting locations required of such mechanisms.
It is thus desirable to develop a powered striker mechanism that is not susceptible to damage by a slamming vehicle closure panel.
The disadvantages of the prior art may be overcome by providing a power striker that isolates the actuator from slamming loads imparted to the striker assembly.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a power striker mechanism having a housing. A striker is mounted on a striker plate that is mounted on the housing for slidable movement between an inboard and an outboard position. A driver plate is mounted to the housing for slidable movement is a direction orthogonal to the striker plate. An actuator effects movement of the driver plate to thereby effect movement of the striker plate between the inboard and outboard positions. The striker plate has a pin and the driver plate has an S-shaped slot defining a camming relation. The pin slidably engages the S-shaped slot. The S-shaped slot has end regions extending in the orthogonal direction and is interconnected by a diagonally extending section. When the pin is in the end regions of the S-shaped slot, forces imparted on the striker plate are transmitted to the housing and thereby preventing backlash of the actuator. When the pin is in the diagonally extending section, movement of the driver plate effects movement of the striker plate.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a power striker mechanism. The striker plate and the driver plate are connected together in a camming relation having end phases corresponding to inboard and outboard positions of the striker plate. In the end phases, corresponding to the inboard and outboard positions, the striker plate and the driver plate are coupled to the housing of the mechanism. In an intermediate phase intermediate the end phases, the striker plate and the driver plate are uncoupled from the housing enabling the relative sliding movement of the striker plate and the drive plate.